Six Ways to Create Student Buy-In

Do you want to create student buy-in in your classroom?  How about making a community of learners that support one another?  Below are some of the best things I have done to manage my classroom and help students feel that they are a part of the process.

1. Involved students in the conversation

One of the easiest ways to create student buy-in is to involve them in the conversation.  When you’re setting rules, involve them in the rulemaking.  When they have a bad day, involve them in the debrief of it.  If you have a new thing you want to do, involve them in the decision-making. 

This is the foundation for all of the below examples.

After a bad experience with a substitute, I debriefed what happened with the students.  Granted the substitute was probably not the most qualified person, but at the same time, classroom expectations need to be the same with a substitute as they are with me, their teacher.  

We discussed what happened and set guidelines for student behavior with a guest teacher.  The students knew what they did wrong and could tell what they would do differently next time.

The next time we had a substitute, the day before, I again went over the new expectations in a new anchor chart.  We discussed the things that will help them have a good way with the sub.  They did an awesome job!

2. Empower students to make decisions

Involve students in the decision-making in the classroom.  In the younger grades, make it simple.  As students get older, make it more complicated.  I’ve involved students in setting consequences, in classroom layout, how to organize, and problem-solving.  

The more involved students are in the day-to-day activities, the more buy-in they have in the execution of those practices.  

If you’re struggling with an idea, ask students what they think.  Even if you’re not struggling, ask anyway.  Make them feel a part of the process. We had a few weeks in December and I knew what I wanted to teach, but I posed the question, “What do you want to learn?” to my students.  

We had a 20-minute discussion about all the things we could learn.  Some of it was silly, like karate, so I had to refocus that conversation.  But, most of the students’ suggestions were informational topics (polar bears, penguins, etc.) and about half of it I was planning on teaching anyway! 

The idea is that they are involved in the decision-making.

3. Create agreements

A couple of years ago we got stability balls in the classroom. They sat in a corner for several weeks.  Students were pining to use them.  I had built up some suspense.  Before I let students use them, however, we talked about the four rules and I had each student agree to use them appropriately.  

If they weren’t, I had a zero-tolerance policy. They knew the agreements they had made.  There was no reason for them to not follow them.

Creating agreements together also allows students to be part of the decision-making process.  If they get to make the rules, students are more inclined to follow them!

4. Follow through quickly

Usually, my rule of thumb is that I give one warning and then, if the behavior continues, a consequence.  If we make agreements ahead of time, that counts as a warning.  Students know the expectations.

They have helped make the rules and agreed to them. Another part of this idea is that if you say you’re going to do something, do it.  If you’re not willing to follow through, don’t say it.  

This is one of the biggest mistakes new teachers make.  They threaten and threaten, but don’t follow through on the consequence.  Students need boundaries and they need to know that you mean what you say.  Believe it or not, students will be happier when you are consistent. How does this relate to buy-in?  

Students know your expectations.  You’ve involved them in the decision-making process.  Students have agreed to the guidelines.  Now, it’s about implementation.

5. Reset expectations

In my second-grade classroom, I use a coin system for behavior management that also helps students learn the value of coins.  It serves both behavioral and academic purposes.  With a substitute recently, students were going behind my desk and grabbing coins.  

I was horrified.  This didn’t happen just once, but at least two or three occasions with a substitute.  I had had enough!

I took the coins away for a week, and then as a class, we had a conversation about whether or not we should even have the coins in class.

Some of the questions I asked them included, “Should we have the coins in class?  Why or why not?  What agreements should we have about them?”

This conversation reset the expectations with the coins and created new agreements for their use.  You will find the need to reset expectations throughout the year.  

Or even take things away.  With this year’s class, I took away the stability balls a few months ago.  I’m ready to reintroduce them again, but before I do, I will reset the expectations!

6. Praise and reward students for positive behavior

All this talk of negative consequences needs to be balanced out with some positive reinforcement.  Use words of affirmation to praise students when they follow the rules or you see improvement in their behavior.  

Tell them that they’re doing a good job, and if the entire class is doing exceptionally well, reward them.  Play a game.  Spend some extra time outside.  Show them that you’re a nice person, even though you have high expectations for them.

This is one of the hardest things for me to do.  I’m not naturally a praise type of person.  It takes work and effort for me to do it!

My students love Sumdog.  The other afternoon, I let them play it for about 30 minutes after they finished their work.  Students were working well together and having fun.  Although we had other things to do, it was a good way to develop some community and a good reward for the students.

Classroom management is hard work.  Especially with the little ones.  Each year is different and presents a unique group of students with various needs.  Evaluate what works for your group of students and try to create some sort of student buy-in.